


Home Away From Home

by Calacious



Series: Comfort in November and December 2020 [22]
Category: Scooby Doo - All Media Types
Genre: Comfortember 2020, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, Fluff, Fred Makes Things Better, M/M, Minor Angst, Poor Mystery Machine, Shaggy Makes Things Better, poor Fred
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:40:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27854390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calacious/pseuds/Calacious
Summary: Shaggy could get used to this - lying in Fred's arms, kissing, looking up at the stars.
Relationships: Fred Jones/Norville "Shaggy" Rogers
Series: Comfort in November and December 2020 [22]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1996825
Comments: 7
Kudos: 68
Collections: Comfortember 2020





	Home Away From Home

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the comfortember prompt: Park (I used the verb meaning for the word)

The van’s been parked in the lot of the Tastee Freez for going on 72 hours, and Shaggy’s not sure when they’ll be able to get back on the road again, because the engine’s missing (courtesy of their latest ‘ghost’). Crashing in the van is nothing new. They’ve done it before. But this time, it’s the pits, because the Tastee Freez was abandoned years ago, and the ice cream that had been left behind had all been melted and moldy by the time the gang happened upon it. 

“This is, like the pits,” Shaggy says.

“Cheer up,” Fred says. He slings an arm around Shaggy’s shoulders, and Shaggy’s heart starts to race (which is like totally new). “I’m sure that the police will find the missing engine and we’ll be back on the road in no time.”

Fred’s enthusiasm doesn’t do much to lift Shaggy’s spirits, but Fred’s arm is a welcome weight across his shoulders, and it’s kind of comforting. Shaggy finds himself leaning his head against Fred’s shoulder, and Fred just shifts to accommodate the move. 

“You really think the police will find our missing engine?” Shaggy asks. He has his doubts.

“If they don’t, I know someone who can get us one,” Fred says. He settles his hand along Shaggy’s side, and Shaggy’s skin tingles. 

“Uh,” Shaggy says. He’s not uncomfortable, he’s just unsure if Fred knows what his touch is doing to him.

“Something wrong, Shag?” Fred asks. 

Shaggy can’t help but notice how that half smile on Fred’s face makes his dimples show, and just how blue Fred’s eyes are this close up. They’re the color of the sky on a day without clouds.

“No,” Shaggy says, gulping. “Nothing’s wrong.”

“Good,” Fred says, and then he leans forward and before Shaggy really knows what’s happening, Fred’s lips are there, and then they’re kissing, and it’s not...it’s not awful. It’s kind of electric, and Shaggy finds himself chasing after Fred’s lips when Fred moves away.

There’s a knock at the van’s window, and the police are there with their culprit (the non-ghost, ghost - some skinny kid with pimples, not their normal ghost wannabe) in tow. The kid has a scowl on his face, and Shaggy doesn’t need to hear the same old spiel that they always get about how he’d have gotten away with it if it hadn’t been for Shaggy and his friends, because all he can think of, all he wants, is the feel of Fred’s lips on his again.

Fred rolls down the window, and gives the officer one of his bright smiles, and Shaggy feels a stab of jealousy, which is ridiculous. He’s only partly mollified that the girls and Scooby aren’t here to witness the way that he blushes and glares at the officer. The girls, and Scooby, had opted to take the officer up on his offer of a place to stay with him and his wife while the police chased down the criminal that the Scooby gang had unmasked. Fred and Shaggy had stayed with the Mystery Machine because someone needed to watch out for her, especially when she was down and out, and vulnerable without her engine.

“Good news,” Officer Pander says. “We found the kid who stole your engine, and terrorized the citizens of our town.”

“Like, I have the feeling that he’s got bad news to go along with the good,” Shaggy says.

“You’re right on the money there,” Officer Pander says. “Turns out, the engine’s already gone. Broken down completely, parts scattered across the greater midwest area.”

Shaggy’s shoulders slump, and he can feel tears pricking his eyes. Without an engine, the Mystery Machine, his home away from home, is just a hunk of metal. He glances at Fred, and notes the way Fred’s jaw clenches. It’s Fred’s baby, after all.

“Good news, though,” Officer Pander says, holding a hand up as though to stop any potential outbursts of emotion . “Turns out, the town’s mechanic’s got another engine that will suit your van just fine.”

It’s good news, and Shaggy wills a smile to form on his face. He can sense that Fred’s doing the same. Truth is, a new engine’s going to completely change her vibe, and well, it’s just not the same, no matter that Fred had said he knew someone who could get them a replacement.

“I’ll have Jim come and tow your van in the morning,” Officer Pander says. “I’d ask him to do it tonight, but --”

“No, that’s okay, officer,” Fred says, waving away whatever the man had been about to say. “We can hang out in the van another night. That is, if it’s still okay for us to use the Tastee Freeze’s bathroom for another night.”

“That’ll be fine,” Officer Pander assures them. “I’ll have Jim turn off the water and electricity when he gets here. He’s sort of a Jack of all trades.”

“Thank you,” Fred says, and only Shaggy can hear the tinge of sadness in his friend’s voice.

“Like, I’m sorry, Fred,” Shaggy says, once the police officer and the truant teen have left, and it’s just the two of them again.

“It’s okay,” Fred says. “I hope you don’t mind that I volunteered us to stay another night.”

It’s not okay, Fred’s not okay, but Shaggy doesn’t press the issue. Instead, he wraps his arms around Fred, and hugs him. 

“There’s no place I’d rather be,” he says. “Like, I’m fine if you are, Freddy.”

Fred rewards him with a half smile, and a tender kiss, and Shaggy sighs. This is something he could get used to. Not having the van gutted, and Fred along with her, but kissing Fred, and spending the night, just the two of them, in the van with the stars twinkling overhead, while they kiss and get to know each other on a deeper level.

“Like, I love you,” Shaggy says in an exhalation of air. He didn’t mean to say the words, but once they’re out there, he doesn’t want to take them back. 

“I love you, too,” Fred says, and he pulls Shaggy closer, and they fall asleep entwined in each other’s arms. And Fred’s arms are Shaggy’s new home away from home.


End file.
